Optometry is a legislated profession, which means treatments, diagnostic testing, and procedures for our patients are dictated by state and federal law. Since its inception, the profession of optometry has made huge strides in education and scope of practice, but there is still work to be done. Despite substantiation from world-renown institutions of vision science and nationally-accredited curricula in pharmacology, systemic disease, and hands-on lab procedures, many legislators and medical professionals still attempt to limit optometric scope of practice. As the future of the profession, it is up to burgeoning optometrists to testify on behalf of their skills sets and fight for full-scope optometric medical law. Click on the links below and read how optometric medicine is regulated in each state.
Because optometric scope of practice changes annually, this page is constantly being updated. Do you see an update that we missed? Leave us a comment below!
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan (coming soon)
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Quebec, Canada
- Ontario, Canada (coming soon)
- British Columbia, Canada (coming soon)
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Interested in defending the scope of practice in your state? Join your student chapter of the American Optometric Association. Lobby, advocate, and engage with other passionate eye doctors in the US and abroad.
Special thanks to the team of writers from Ohio State helping us to complete our series!
